Homemade French Fried Onions
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Like many, Green Bean Casserole is a staple at our Thanksgiving and holiday feasts.
Who knows where this tradition began (I'm hoping it wasn't a Campbell's executive who mandated a recipe be devised to peddle their products one Thanksgiving long ago, but I can't find any previous source unfortunately……), but it certainly has stuck, that's for sure.
And what is Green Bean Casserole without French Fried Onions? These crispy onions truly make the casserole – in fact, I used to buy an extra can just to snack on while we MADE the casserole. 🙂
This homemade version is just as additive – in fact, maybe even more so – and they're made with healthy fats without any additives. Now I'm EXCITED to serve Green Bean Casserole once again!
Enjoy!
Real Food French-Fried Onions
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, sliced very thinly
- 2 cups milk or buttermilk
- 1½ cups flour, any variety, including gluten-free varieties
- 1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or smoked paprika
- 2-3 cups palm shortening, lard, tallow, or your favorite deep-frying oil (enough to have about 2" of heated oil in your pot)
Instructions
- Separate all the onion strands and layer them in a wide bowl or shallow baking dish. Pour the milk over and let them sit for 20–30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sift the spices into the flour in a large bowl and heat the oil over medium-high heat until it’s hot. (If you slip one onion strand in, it should bubble vigorously without splattering. On a thermometer it’s about 375°F.)
- Working in small batches, grab a handful of onion strands from the bowl, shake off the excess milk, dredge them in the flour, shake off the excess flour, and then drop them into the hot oil. Stir lightly to keep them from sticking. Remove when they’re golden brown, 2–3 minutes.
- Drain on paper towels and use immediately for best flavor and crunch. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- If you need to be grain-free, feel free to skip the breading altogether, as these will still crisp up quite nicely. Be sure to rinse and drain the onion strands thoroughly after soaking them in the milk if you skip the dredging.
thanks so much for this recipe. I LOVE these!
I don’t have palm oil, but I do have coconut oil. Do you think I can substitute without a problem?
Thanks.
Yes, absolutely, although coconut oil has a lower smoke point, so you’ll want to watch it carefully to make sure they don’t burn.
Enjoy! They’re yummy! 🙂
Can these be Frozen?
Hmmm…. yes, they can be frozen, but they may not stay crispy, so you’d have to re-crisp them by baking them for 20-25 minutes before using them as a topping. I don’t know if that would be worth it, but if so, it might be a great way to make a large batch.
I hope that helps!
I loved this recipe, I never thought I would be making my own. They really tasted like the store bough one’s. My house smelled like fried onions all night and part of the morning lol but I guess that’s not a bad thing..